It is said that this is a world for young people. Young people are growing up in a different world and are being trained to make use of all the technological wonders. Never before has the world changed so much in one generation. But most young people are living for the here and now. The attitude of most is – what new experience is possible this month, this year, next year? We read in the book of Judges of those living with the thought of what they could achieve now when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (17:6), with the idea that ‘might was right’ as illustrated in chapter 18:21-26.

Isaiah 40 is such a contrast! But there we read, “All flesh is grass and all its beauty is like the flower of the field, The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass” (verses 6-8). Then in verse 30 are words which particularly caught our eyes, “even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted”. Why is this? Because their “way is hidden from the LORD”, they do not want to live in the sight of God, many are not even sure there is a God! Some do not want to believe He exists!

The wonderfully positive things written in this chapter arrested our attention – that God “gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strength … they that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (verses 29,31).

When will this happen? We are told, “Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm (Jesus) rules for him; and his recompense is before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (verses 10,11). In one sense we are all young in the sight of God so we note the quote from today’s New Testament reading, “little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming” (1 John 2:28).